Thermal conditions of the environment within which an electronic component operates are known to have an effect on the durability/longevity of the component. Electronic components are affected by both high temperatures and low temperatures. The materials with which a component is made, and the relative robustness of the component (i.e., how sturdy its pieces are), must be selected to withstand the temperatures within which the component will operate, taking into consideration not only the atmospheric conditions, but also the heat that the components around it, and the component itself generate. In addition, cooling systems of electronic components are also designed accordingly.
Further, electronic components can be vulnerable to, not only temperature extremes, but also to repeated changes in temperature during operation. Electronic components are often made of multiple different materials (e.g., silicon and metal), wherein some materials have different rates of thermal expansion than others. The repeated expansion and contraction of adjoining elements of an electronic component at different rates can eventually cause one or more of the elements (or the junction between them) to fail.
In some cases, there may be factors that limit the degree to which a component may be strengthened and/or the amount of cooling that may be supplied to the component. Such factors may include packaging constraints (e.g., size and shape), weight limits, cost, etc. Thus, it may be desirable to manage not only the maximum and minimum temperatures to which an electronic component is subjected, but also the fluctuations in the temperatures during the operation of the component.
Systems have been developed that regulate the cooling of electronic components. For example, European Patent Application No. EP 2175484 (“the '484 publication”) discloses a system configured to regulate the cooling efficiency (e.g., flow rate of cooling fluid) of a heat sink for an electronic component, by implementing a feedback system based on the temperature of the component. By providing a reduced flow of cooling fluid during operating conditions that do not create large amounts of heat, the system prevents the coolant flow from significantly reducing the temperature of the component during such conditions, thereby reducing the variations in temperatures experienced by the component.
The cooling capacity of a cooling system and the robustness of an electronic component may, in some cases, be “maxed-out” or changes may be otherwise impractical and/or undesirable considering manufacturing and/or business parameters. The system disclosed in the '484 publication appears to utilize a high capacity cooling system and merely turns the coolant flow down or off during operating conditions that do not create high component temperatures. However, it may not always be practical to use a cooling system with higher and higher cooling capacity.
Further, the system of the '484 publication controls the lower end of the temperature variation by turning the coolant flow down or off. However, in some situations, this passive approach to limiting the temperature drop during less strenuous operating conditions may be insufficient. For example, the low stress operation may endure for a length of time that allows the electronic component to cool significantly, even without application of cooling. It may be desirable to implement an active process by which component temperatures are sustained at higher levels during low stress operations.
The present disclosure is directed to improvements in thermal management of electronic components.